Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1887-09-01
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL
Economy in Farm Homes.

If our would-be economists of the |
present day. 1t is futile work for the |
good husband without to caulk up the |
leaks of farm expenditure if the house
wife within be prodigal and thriftless,
and ignore progressive economy. 1t
is not my intention to impute all fall
ures of farm life to the good sisters
for many are frugal house,
wives who struggle vainly against the
theoretical impulses of the "gude
man" with his new tangled notions,
far different from those of his honest
father who carried the
rock in one end of his corn sack to
balance the other because
his father and his grandfather
had done ii before him." We take it
for granted that our good man is
farmer of practical purpose and honest
intelligence and his good wife help
meel for him. He tells her Just how
much he can aff ,rd for the family sup
port. and then trusts the expenditure
to her care without growing over
every item as though all were for her
individual benefit instead of the united
family support. Ihave known wives
of good intelligence, portly and merry,
and by several inches taller than their
husband. actually quail when the flour
gave out and tremblcd to mention the
hideous fact that the sugar barrel was
empty. Why not? The husband was
not brute as some might infer,
but an honest man of average
intelligence, and like John Gil
pins wife, ''who had fru-
grail mind" inconsistency expects
lean larder to furnish forth afull table,
and yet last far beyond the time. Not
content with driving the plow, he also
likes TO dip a finger into the pie of
household economy. This should not
be, any more than that the wife should
interfere with the farm arrangements
of the husband. How would he relish
her appearance in the barn-yard die
tating to him about the compost heap,
Of planting and reaping and economy
in farm labor-matters of which she
probably knows little, and which he
prefers to manage according TO his
own ideas. We here and there find
woman who so to speak, 'wears her
husband 5 breeches," but all over the
land, could we but peep at the inter-
nal machinery of the household we
will find men who insist on DOMINIC
the bonnet and apron of their wives,
much to the discomfort of the latter.
The imaginary husband Of which we
write has no such foible however; he
treats his wife with consideration. not
debating to her in her household
affairs as he would to a hiring or an
idiot. and in return expects that she
will do her best for the common veal.
AS all good wives should, she puts her
shoulder to the wheel and with a
Help Hercules" the wagon is out OF
the mud and the result contentment
and happiness. If a family of grow.
ing children, she realizes the fact that
''idloness is the mother of mischief, "
and so looks to the way of her house
hold that all are compelled to assist in
I the domestic work. The two eldest
daughters take turns at the cooking,
and after few months become
experts in the culinary art, to
the pleasure of the father who pre-
fers to partake of clearly, whole
some meal, prepared by the white fin
gers of his daughters, to the mos
savory repast, served by grimy de-
scendaut of Ham. At the same time
be it borne in mind, that if the chill
dren of the household are expected tC
perform mental duties, their lives
should not be made burden, but al
the modern machinery of convenience
should be gradually purchased as thu
savings from the servants fund &C
cumuQtcs. When afternoon arrives /;
heavy supper should not be expected
but light meal served instead, which
renders this duty less irksome TO tn,
dutiful servitors and more wholesom,
to the digestion. Reading, with recre
alton of some kind, should always fill
the evening, serving to pleasantly pas
the time, toning up both body ant
mind for the next days labor
Above all, there should be metho,
and system in the farm home. Fac
child must be taught that work is
duty expected by God Of man, not t
be taken up or thrown down at pleas
IRE, and later in life they will thanl
the parents that compelled obedience
Thele are many other turns in tn
lock by the key of economy, whic
leads to fortune. There is the penn
TO be gained by the sale of the garde
produce, chickens, eggs and butter
and one family we knew of grew
cured and used their own tea Tn
tiny flower of the fragrant olive, tn
gardenia or rose put in muslin bag
and scattered after curing, through tn
leaves of the fragrant beverage, whic
"soothes but does not inebriate,"
said to impart a rare flavor equal
the flowers imported. The plant
beautiful evergreen, is hardy in tn
latitude, being killed by neither hes
nor cold.
In conclusion, we do not wish OF
readers to infer from what has bee
written above that woman's sphel
is only in the driving drudery of til
farmhouse wheel. In work of a
kinds, save that which requires super
or physical strength, a woman is n,
out of place and should not be held il
ferior tn man Whprevar the siUl